APPLETON, Wis. — More than three decades after their high-profile romance fizzled amid the glitz of 1990s Hollywood, former flames Brian Austin Green and Tiffani Thiessen shared a lighthearted reunion at a charity event, posing for photos and exchanging smiles in a moment that evoked nostalgia for fans of their Beverly Hills, 90210 era.
The exes, who dated from 1992 to 1995, appeared relaxed and amicable during the private gathering hosted by Sandals Resort on Thursday, November 30. The event supported the company's namesake foundation, drawing the pair together for a cause focused on community initiatives. Green, now 52, opted for a casual look with gray jeans, a matching bomber jacket, and a baseball cap, while Thiessen, 51, chose a white eyelet blouse paired with dark jeans and cherry-red ankle boots. Their easy camaraderie was evident as they stood side by side for a series of snapshots, a far cry from the tensions that once marked their relationship.
Thiessen arrived with her 15-year-old daughter, Harper, adding a family touch to the evening's festivities, which included concert elements. The reunion comes nearly 30 years after their breakup, a period during which both have built separate lives and families. Green shares three sons—Noah, 11, Bodhi, 10, and Journey, 7—with ex-wife Megan Fox, as well as an 11-year-old son, Kassius, with former partner Vanessa Marcil, and a 6-year-old son, Zane, with fiancée Sharna Burgess. Thiessen, meanwhile, has been married to actor Brady Smith since 2005; the couple has Harper and a 8-year-old son, Holt.
Reflecting on their past, Green has been candid about the challenges their romance faced, particularly once Thiessen joined the cast of Beverly Hills, 90210 in 1994. The actress was brought on for a multi-season arc starting in season 5, stepping into the role of Valerie Malone following Shannen Doherty's departure from the show. Green, who played David Silver, had been a fixture on the series since its 1990 debut, and the integration of his real-life girlfriend into the on-screen world created friction.
In an April episode of his podcast, Oldish, Green recalled developing a crush on Thiessen before her 90210 stint, stemming from her time on Saved by the Bell. “I had a crush on her before 90210 because we used to do all these teen magazines or whatever,” he said. “I was like, ‘Oh I don’t stand a chance. I’m reaching way above my weight class on this one.’” He introduced her to the cast and producers, but the professional shift soon complicated their personal dynamic.
The actor described the adjustment as an “invasion” of his carefully guarded space on set. “I had no idea she was going to replace Shannen at that point and her story line is going to be this [big] … and it was just the hardest thing in the world,” Green shared on the podcast. “This was more of a complete family, and I was there all day long every single day so all of a sudden she comes in and she’s working with people, not with me. She has a dressing [room] in the same hallway, but we have different call times, and we have different things going on.”
Green admitted that jealousy played a significant role in their eventual split. He became “incredibly jealous” of Thiessen's on-screen romantic entanglements, which involved pairings with co-stars like Luke Perry and Ian Ziering. “There was just absolutely not a shred of maturity in the way I dealt. I was a wreck,” he confessed. “Every time I’d get a new script I was like, ‘Oh her character starts with Luke [Perry] and now she’s with Ian [Ziering].’ She literally dated every guy on the show.”
His discomfort extended to Thiessen's intimate scenes, a topic he revisited in a March 2024 appearance on Shannen Doherty's podcast, Let’s Be Clear, before her passing later that year from breast cancer. “I was incredibly jealous every time she would f***ing have to work with anybody else because we’d already been doing the show for four years,” Green told Doherty. “I used to bring Tiffani to events so she knew everybody from then and then all of a sudden she’s doing sex scenes and s*** with people that were like my family and my brothers.” He described “freaking out” over these moments, highlighting the blurred lines between their professional and personal lives.
Thiessen, for her part, has offered her perspective on navigating the pressures of joining an established ensemble. In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly in May 2024, she discussed the emotional toll. “I had a boyfriend who definitely was probably not the most secure with me being there,” she said. “I also had my own insecurities about being on a job that, again, was very established. There were relationships that were super close that I wasn’t a part of. It was definitely stressful and hard. I really take pride in having people speak about my work ethic and how professional I am.”
Her tenure on 90210, which ran until 1998, showcased her as a capable actress amid the show's teen drama, but the real-life strains with Green contributed to their 1995 breakup. The couple's relationship had begun amid the burgeoning fame of both: Green was rising as part of the 90210 cast, while Thiessen was fresh off Saved by the Bell, where she played Kelly Kapowski from 1989 to 1993. Their romance was a staple of '90s tabloid coverage, blending young love with Hollywood ambition.
Since parting ways, both have reflected on the experience with maturity. Green's podcast revelations paint a picture of youthful insecurity clashing with career demands, while Thiessen emphasizes her professionalism as a point of pride. The recent Sandals event marks a positive chapter, suggesting that time has healed old wounds. Neither has commented publicly on the reunion beyond the photos, but their warm interaction speaks to a cordial post-romance dynamic common among former co-stars.
The gathering at Sandals Resort underscores the pair's continued involvement in philanthropy. The foundation, tied to the luxury Caribbean vacation brand, supports education, health, and environmental efforts in resort communities. By attending, Green and Thiessen aligned with causes that resonate beyond their entertainment roots, a shift that mirrors their personal evolutions into family-oriented lives.
Looking back, the 90210 era remains a defining period for both. The show's cultural impact—launching stars like Green, Thiessen, Doherty, Perry, and Jennie Garth—continues to draw interest, especially with revivals like BH90210 in 2019. Green's openness about past jealousies adds depth to the nostalgia, humanizing the icons of adolescent television.
As Green and Thiessen move forward, their reunion serves as a reminder of Hollywood's enduring connections. With Green engaged to Burgess and Thiessen happily married to Smith, the focus has shifted from romantic drama to stable family units. Fans, ever drawn to '90s throwbacks, may see this as closure to a storied chapter, while the actors themselves appear content in the present.
Whether this event sparks further collaborations remains to be seen, but for now, it highlights reconciliation over rivalry. In an industry rife with feuds, the smiles shared at Sandals Resort offer a refreshing narrative of amicable exes supporting a good cause.